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by Dennis Peacocke
February 2010
Several weeks ago, a highly unusual event took place. President Obama met with numbers of the Republican Party senior officials and office holders. The purpose of the meeting was to “dialogue” about a wide range of topics and to start a process of much greater interactive communication. That wouldn’t be difficult to improve upon, since there has been virtually none since the President took office. It was a wide ranging discussion, lively and intense, with no teleprompters or news media looking to make a name for themselves.
Fox News was scheduled to broadcast it in it’s entirely, but cut their coverage after only ten minutes or so. I wondered why that happened, but when I watched the entire event on the web later, I understood why. The wrong Obama showed up. He was very articulate without a teleprompter, fielded tough questions with an obvious degree of detailed and in-depth knowledge, and generally came off very well in a very challenging environment. I was impressed. Am I “converted?” No. Was I bamboozled? No. But I was impressed in spite of some of his obvious “spin” which was put on a number of his responses. I’m not sure of what current Republican leader or want-to-be contender that could have done much better.
The critical discussion of the day was inaugurated by the President. It was sobering at best and chilling at worst. It confirmed, beyond any shadow of a doubt, what I have held to be true for years; the left-right political game is over. What the President said was virtually this, “I hope you guys know that in demonizing me and my policies as you have, you have cut off the possibility of supporting future legislation upon which we both strongly agree. You can’t “agree” with me without losing the trust of your supporters, viewing such agreements as a “pact with the devil.” He was right on, and he likewise admitted that the Democrats have taken a similar tact regularly themselves. He continued, “It’s all sound bites, superficial analysis totally driven by short-term electoral politics.” Amen, Mr. President.
At a critical time in the history of our nation, where long-term strategic issues must be aired and resolved for freedom or prosperity to prevail, we have this: A stalemate game played by political fools. We need statesmen, folks, as never before. If they are coming from either party, I can’t see them. The “nonsense” has driven them either away, or into hiding, and that is…..the bottom line.